In one form of conventional X-ray apparatus an X-ray tube and a receptor, such as film or a scintillation screen, are mounted on one frame, and a human patient or like subject lies on a table which is wheeled into a radiation axis between the tube and receptor for examination by an X-ray beam on the radiation axis. If the table and receptor are on a moveable frame, the angle of the radiation axis through the patient may be adjusted for the best exposure of a particular patient organ. But the table may not be tilted to place the patient in a position other than a horizontal position, and there are many X-ray examining procedures in which a horizontal position is not desirable. Heart and kidney examinations are usually best conducted with the patient in a natural position such as standing erect or inclined as when leaning. Some patients do not breathe easily prone, and examination must be interrupted periodically to raise their heads. In other cases a physician's access to a particular area of a patient is greatly improved by inclining the patient. Patients undergoing gastro-intestinal examination may be placed on an inclining table having an X-radiation source and fluoroscopic screen fixed on it as the table and patient are raised to upright position, but examination is limited to exposures at a fixed angle through the gastro-intestinal area of the patient.
Accordingly it is one object of the present invention to provide X-ray apparatus in which not only may the patient table be inclined to an erect or leaning position, but also the radiation axis may be angulated and fixed angularly relative to the patient in any of the table positions.
Other objects of the invention are to allow longitudinal movement of the patient table along its axis and bidimensional movement of the table in a plane normal to its longitudinal axis.